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OBSERVER SPORT Dahlias delight www.spec.com.au P. 8, 9 Phone (03) 5522 3000 AND GUARDIAN WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015 Touch champs $1.30 inc GST TWO dedicated fishermen from the eastern Melbourne suburb of Ringwood fillet their catch after a successful day out at sea from Portland. Mitchell Bassett and Matt Kabastanakis have plenty of fresh tuna to take home, following the long weekend’s sport. Picture: ELLY HATELEY 150309eh02 Early in the season, but tuna are out there KEEN anglers impatient for the season to begin are already taking pretty good quality tuna off Portland, but the best is yet to come. That’s the view of fishing enthusiasts following a long weekend with good if not great results for those chasing tuna. “It’s still a bit early, but there have been tuna out there for the last eight weeks,” fishing guru Bob McPherson said. “Right now we are seeing them in 30 metres of water about eight miles east of town. Continued PAGE 2 Brighter outlook Smelter partner says Portland safe from closure TIANA RICHARDSON PORTLAND Aluminium appears to have escaped review under a global restructure after joint owner Alumina Limited told investors the Portland smelter would be exempt. Uncertainty has surrounded aluminium smelting in Australia for some time, intensified by the closure of the 50-year-old Point Henry smelter in Geelong last year after it was deemed no longer financially viable. Last Friday Alcoa announced that over the next 12 months it would consider cutting 500,000 metric tons of smelting capacity and 2.8 million metric tons of refining capacity, or possibly sell assets. Subsequently, Alumina chief executive officer Peter Wasow, on Monday announced that Portland Aluminium wouldn’t be included in the review, in an effort to reassure the company’s shareholders. “Alumina Limited notes that the review does not include the Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals smelter at Portland, Victoria,” the Australian Stock Exchange statement said. Alumina is a 40 per cent partner in the global alumina/aluminium alliance known as AWAC, which is also 60 per cent-owned and managed by Alcoa. AWAC owns 55 per cent of the 358,000 ton Portland operation. Yesterday Portland Aluminium plant manager Peter Chellis was more cautious, saying Alcoa had not disclosed the locations of operations under review. “At Portland Aluminium we need to continue to focus on the areas that we can control and influence to improve our position on the cost curve,” Mr Chellis said. “We are doing everything we can to make the smelter internationally competitive, there has been a great deal of work undertaken to reduce costs over the past five years, however cost cutting still remains a priority as does a competitive power contract. “We still have more work to do to ensure our long term sustainability. Our workforce is well aware of the challenging economic conditions impacting the aluminium industry globally and the broader transformation to position Alcoa as a globally competitive commodity business.” Member for Wannon Dan Tehan welcomed the announcement from Alumina and said it was encouraging news for Portland and the south west. “I commend Peter Chellis and his staff for the work they have done to ensure Portland Aluminium continues to be a viable business,” Mr Tehan said. “Portland Aluminium for Portland and the south-west is a big employer and big contributor to the community. “This will give confidence to a lot of people, to the businesses that supply Portland Aluminium, it’s a big tick for the future.” Glenelg Shire mayor Robert Halliday was also delighted to hear the announcement and said he was “very pleased for the workers and contractors involved at the smelter”. “This will generate positivity through the shire,” he said.